Sony: PS3 Blu-ray Issues Are Not Firmware-Related

Sony: PS3 Blu-ray Issues Are Not Firmware-Related

Recently we held a poll here to see how many users experienced issues after updating to PS3 Firmware 3.01, which was released to fix the issues that v3.0 was plagued with.

Most users said they updated to 3.01 fine here, however, elsewhere there are reports of v3.01 crippling PS3 consoles- including problems with Blu-ray playback, and in some cases DVD playback issues and audio glitches.

To quote: "Sony has told Eurogamer that a firmware update cannot affect the Blu-ray drive on a PS3. The problem that PS3 owners are reporting following 3.01 is 'not an issue with the firmware'.

Most, if not all, claim to have had no previous problem with their console, but having applied the firmware update discovered Blu-ray films and PS3 games froze and could not continue.

Sony customer services have been telling sufferers that they must send their machine back for repair, which costs £128 if out of one-year warranty, but there's still no real explanation for what's happened."

I am really tired of seeing and saying the same thing on all sites that i see some problem similar to this...

ALWAYS update your PS3 firmware via a USB drive. Download the firmware update from the correct region playstation site (check region of your PS3) and place it in a pen drive or whatever other USB storage device you have. Create a new folder on the USB drive called PS3 and then inside that folder create another folder called UPDATE and place your firmware in there. Plug your USB device into your PS3. And select the external memory update option to update.

Do NOT update your PS3 firmware directly from the internet. This is what causes the firmware to get corrupt during download and then it messes up everything. All these problems, most of the time, are due to corrupt firmware downloads. That's all.

I am really tired of seeing and saying the same thing on all sites that i see some problem similar to this...

ALWAYS update your PS3 firmware via a USB drive. Download the firmware update from the correct region playstation site (check region of your PS3) and place it in a pen drive or whatever other USB storage device you have. Create a new folder on the USB drive called PS3 and then inside that folder create another folder called UPDATE and place your firmware in there. Plug your USB device into your PS3. And select the external memory update option to update.

Do NOT update your PS3 firmware directly from the internet. This is what causes the firmware to get corrupt during download and then it messes up everything. All these problems, most of the time, are due to corrupt firmware downloads. That's all.

Well now you got me paranoid and from now on I'll be updating from a USB stick. I haven't updated to 3.0 or 3.01 yet and I don't plan to considering I don't even need to log into my account for anything. By the time I need to there will probably be newer firmware.

Anyway where did you hear that corrupt downloads are the cause of these firmware issues?

There doesn't seem to be an edit button in this section so I suppose I have no choice but to post again:

As I thought trying to update with a USB stick that is NTFS format didn't work. It has to be FAT32. NTFS is proprietary and I guess Sony would rather choke and die than pay Microsoft for the rights to use it. Either that or Microsoft wouldn't sell Sony the rights to use it. I don't know, but whatever the case I figured I may as well throw that out there for anyone using an NTFS USB stick, but keep in mind formatting it to FAT32 won't allow you to put on files larger than 4GB.

Edit again - It seems it automatically merges the posts, sorry for being a noob.

I am really tired of seeing and saying the same thing on all sites that i see some problem similar to this...

ALWAYS update your PS3 firmware via a USB drive. Download the firmware update from the correct region playstation site (check region of your PS3) and place it in a pen drive or whatever other USB storage device you have. Create a new folder on the USB drive called PS3 and then inside that folder create another folder called UPDATE and place your firmware in there. Plug your USB device into your PS3. And select the external memory update option to update.

Do NOT update your PS3 firmware directly from the internet. This is what causes the firmware to get corrupt during download and then it messes up everything. All these problems, most of the time, are due to corrupt firmware downloads. That's all.

But aren't you still downloading from the same place, whether it be usb drive or ps3 direct?? Isn't it still downloading from the same server or similar and technically is just as susceptible to being corrupted through the DL process, I just don't understand how DLing to a USB drive is any different whatsoever to downloading direct to PS3, your just making a middle man.

Also I have never had to set up naming folders like that for a usb to be read, just make sure its fat32 then dump all videos music firmware direct to root of usb. then on ps3 if it videos you want go there and push triangle on memory card icon and then hit display all, this will show every music file on usb stick then go to music and do the same for that.

I am really tired of seeing and saying the same thing on all sites that i see some problem similar to this...

ALWAYS update your PS3 firmware via a USB drive. Download the firmware update from the correct region playstation site (check region of your PS3) and place it in a pen drive or whatever other USB storage device you have. Create a new folder on the USB drive called PS3 and then inside that folder create another folder called UPDATE and place your firmware in there. Plug your USB device into your PS3. And select the external memory update option to update.

Do NOT update your PS3 firmware directly from the internet. This is what causes the firmware to get corrupt during download and then it messes up everything. All these problems, most of the time, are due to corrupt firmware downloads. That's all.

This is nonsense. At first you download the firmware, then the ps3 unpacks and verifies it is ok and finally it's being installed from your hdd. It isn't updated, part by part while being downloaded! So it can't be corrupted...

I just don't understand how DLing to a USB drive is any different whatsoever to downloading direct to PS3, your just making a middle man.

Hehe I see your point of view also, however, what I think he means is that if you download it via PC to USB first then you know you have the 100% complete/non-corrupted download ready to install... but if you trust that it will download completely to the PS3 prior to installation that is where the 'risk' comes into play.

Technically, both should be the same... the PS3 should not be able to install it until it's completely downloaded and verified, but perhaps this 'check' is where the issue or bug currently lies for some people who brick their PS3 by updating it.

Do NOT update your PS3 firmware directly from the internet. This is what causes the firmware to get corrupt during download and then it messes up everything. All these problems, most of the time, are due to corrupt firmware downloads. That's all.

This is indeed nonsence as:

A) Even the firmware downloaded to the external USB media can be corrupted

and most of all:

B) PS3 is of course checking the control sum of the file so it will NOT under any cicumstances use corrupted (or amneded) firmware file anyway.

So - please stop spreading FUDs if you don't know what are you talking about.

Also I have never had to set up naming folders like that for a usb to be read, just make sure its fat32 then dump all videos music firmware direct to root of usb. then on ps3 if it videos you want go there and push triangle on memory card icon and then hit display all, this will show every music file on usb stick then go to music and do the same for that.

Open for correction...

yeh you can do that for everything like videos, music pictures (for some reason ps3 mags even call this method "advanced" haha)
but if you want to update the ps3 via usb then you have to create a folder called "PS3" at the root and inside that create another called "UPDATE" (yes, in caps) becuase that is what the ps3 is looking for, an update folder where it will find the pup file.
Thats the only time you will ever need to create a folder on your usb for something to work on the ps3, othen than that just keep pressing triangle

Yeah - Just to reinforce what others have said, if the download (or usb update) is in any way corrupt - it will fail to install.

There are multiple hash checks on the PUP itself, as well as its contents. The fact that Sony said that updates do no affect the BD drive is a boldfaced lie - the BD firmware is updated nearly every time you upgrade the console, with an updated firmware. It is highly possible some new BD firmware code could be a tad buggy - quite unlikely, but its happened before.

Direct firmware download can be corrupt but PC DL can't?
Wow that's news to me, i always thought that either route through the PS3 unpacks the firmware, hash checks the contents (to ensure it's exactly as sony provided) and ONLY once that's passed it is installed. Still if this is true maybe we can install hacked firmware by redirecting the PS3 to a customised firmware! (Or as we all suspect.. this is BS! hahaha)

Still, not wanting to miss yet another chance to plug my wares, you could use my PS3 Update Checker (V1.7) to help you download the firmwares on your PC

Oh and CJ's right - the firmware update can easily include BD drive updates and yes they can DEFINATELY screw your drive up if they're badly coded!